The Same
by silver666
Summary: After the incident with the mer-creatures Nick and Stephen discover that some things really are the same regardless of the changes made to the timeline. Nick/Stephen slash


When Lester insulted Stephen Nick didn't care that the young man wasn't the same as he remembered, that Stephen had slept with Helen, that this Stephen had shown no sign of ever having been in a relationship with him. He took one look at the younger man's guilt ridden, pained, expression and a low growl escaped him. Taking two steps he angrilly pinned Lester against the car.

"Don't ever talk to him like that again," he snarled.

"Nick," Stephen pulled him off the other man.

"Cutter," Lester spluttered. "What do you think you're doing?"

"He's mine and I will not have you hurting my 'little one,'" everyone was watching wide-eyed.

Stephen's hold loosened as his face crumpled in shock, "Nicky?"

He turned in the younger man's arms, "You remember? You'd been acting strange."

"We fought before you left," Stephen's arms wrapped around his midsection. "Then when you came back, and Helen," he paused. "You didn't remember me telling you, you were really mad at me and kept going on about 'Claudia' I didn't think you remembered."

"All this time," he turned them so Stephen's back was to the car. "You've been avoiding me 'cause of that."

Stephen nodded, looking down and missed the smirk spreading its way across Nick's lips. Before he could react he was pinned against the car, Nick's body weight pressing into him as the older man kissed him. There were several shocked gasps but both were immune to the shock of everyone watching. Stephen couldn't help but gasp allowing the older man to deepen the kiss but quickly recovered, one hand cupping Nick's hip and the other threading through his lover's hair. Only when their need to breathe became an issue did Nick pull back. Instead he began trailing kisses down the younger man's jaw and throat. He paused when he reached Stephen's collar bone and bit down gently. Gasping slightly Stephen tilted his head back allowing him better access to the spot. When Nick finally stopped he stumbled foward grasping the older man's shirt to stay on his feet. Nick chuckled at his reaction holding him tightly and he slipped a hand under the older man's shirt, his fingers ghosting over the rapidly hardening nipples. He once again found himself pinned against the car, almost bent over it as Nick lifted him slightly, slipping a knee between his legs. He grabbed Nick's hands as the older man attempted to undo his belt. Frowning the older man looked at him in confusion, letting him slide down the car. Smiling slightly and leaning foward he brushed a gentle kiss across the older man's lips before tilting his head to the others. Nick turned, following his line of sight, face reddening slightly as he saw the others staring at them, mouths agape.

Before anyone could react he grabbed the front of Stephen's shirt, pulling the younger man towards where he had parked the car. The younger man was all too willing to comply with his wishes calling an amused farewell to everone who still seemed unsure how to react.

Connor chuckled nervously, muttering something about fear, crazy people and hallucinating, and began leading Abby, who appeared to be in a state of shock, away. Lester quickly got his shock under control, keeping his expression carefully blank, and raised an eyebrow at Jenny. She blinked several times, murmering something about insane professors and their equally mad research assistants and climbed into the car. Copying her Lester made a mental note to have someone clean the vehicle.

When they reached his house Nick practically dragged the younger man inside and up to the master bedroom. Stephen let his lover grinning when he was all but thrown onto the bed. Slowly he moved a hand down his body he began undoing the buttons on his shirt. As he expected Nick made no move to help, watching hungrily as his shirt ended up splayed open and his belt was thrown across the room. Purposely he ran his tongue across his lips and moved slightly so more of his chest was showing but made no attempt to undo his trousers. Groaning Nick yanked off his shirt and pounced on the younger man, pinning his hands above his head.

"Tease," Nick hissed kissing him.

"You love it," Stephen smiled innocently.

"I don't like punishing you little one," Nick forced himself not to smile.

"But I like it when you do," Stephen's smile turned decidedly naughty. "Punish me for being a tease. I deserve it, I was a bad boy."

"You were," Nick smiled. "Keep your hands there."

Stephen nodded, watching as Nick reached into the bedside cabinet and drew out two silk scarves, using them to tie his hands to the head board. Nick's hands moved down Stephen's body until they reached the waist band of the younger man's trousers. Unable to stop himself Stephen bucked his hips as the back of Nick's hand touched his cock through his jeans. One of Nick's hands worked on loosening his trousers whilst the other held his hips in place. In comparison to the slow pace Stephen had adopted Nick wasted no time in stripping both of them. Stepping back Nick took the time to admire the lithe body lying open in front of him as he reached back into the bedside cabinet. Slowly he began pulling things out, looking them over before sitting them by the the younger man's side. It took all of Stephen's self-control to keep his expression neutral as every fibre of his body screamed in excitement. That drawer was where they kept all the _toys _that it wouldn't be right for a respectable professor, or his research assisstant, to own. His cock was painfully hard and he couldn't help but look pleadingly at the older man. Knowing what the younger man needed, what they both needed, Nick grabbed the nearest lube and quickly coated his fingers. Spreading Stephen's thighs he began working his fingers into the tight opening. Stephen gasped and writhed beneath him, quietly urging, pleading with, him to go faster. The younger man whimpered when the fingers were removed but Nick quickly replaced them with his cock. Shuddering at the pressure Stephen whimpered and urged him to go faster as he slowly pumped in and out of the younger man. Following his lover's pleas he increased his pace. It had been so long for both of them and Nick quickly came, biting down on the same spot as he had done earlier. The action sent Stephen over the edge as well and he spilled his seed, gasping Nick's name.

Stephen looked dreamily up at the older man as Nick rolled off of him and untied his arms. Slowly bringing them down he wrapped them around the older man's waist, pulling his lover flush against his body. Nick's arms wrapped around his shoulders as the older man drew him into a deep, passionate, kiss. They pulled back gasping for breath and Nick tenderly trailed his fingers through the younger man's hair.

"I missed you so much," he whispered. "Do you have any idea how hard it was for me seeing you everyday, believing that you'd never been in a relationship with me."

"Probably just as hard as it was for me," Stephen murmered. "Thinking you'd forgot about us."

"I'm sorry," Nick brushed a kiss across the younger man's brow.

"Don't feel guilty," Stephen instructed. "You couldn't have known, you remember stuff that never happened in this world, you couldn't have known for sure, I'm glad that you didn't do anything because it would have been awkward if this world was different."

"That would be embarassing," Nick chuckled. "But at the same time I sort of regret the time together we missed because we didn't realise that we remembered each other."

"Guess we better start making up for lost time then," Stephen grinned.

Nick chuckled and tightened his grip on the younger man. Sighing happily Stephen buried his head in the older man's shoulder breathing deeply. In moments Stephen had drifted off to sleep. Watching him Nick had to smile. He couldn't believe that he had wasted so much time avoiding his lover because of his own fears and insecurities but he was glad they'd finally come to their senses. Stephen shifted in his sleep, snuggling closer to the older man and Nick sighed thankful they could be so close, emotionally and physically, once more. Closing his eyes he too drifted off to sleep content that with his lover by his side they could face any problem the anomaly project threw at them.

_**FIN**_


End file.
